Demian Maia Names Ideal Opponents for Grappling Return, Doesn't Rule Out Final MMA Fight

One of the greatest grapplers to ever compete in the Octagon, Demian Maia had his last MMA fight in June 2021, when he lost by unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad. Since then, the Brazilian has competed in three grappling matches, winning all of them, including two by submission.

At 48 years old, the former UFC title challenger appears eager to continue competing in grappling, and he has his eyes on big names such as Georges St-Pierre or one of the Diaz brothers. The jiu-jitsu ace also left the door open for one final MMA fight.

Demian Maia's Dream Grappling Opponents

Known for his elite grappling, which has led to 14 submission victories in his MMA career, Maia was originally a jiu-jitsu competitor and won the ADCC 88 kg title in 2007. After stepping into the Octagon for the final time, the Brazilian returned to his roots by accepting grappling matches. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Maia acknowledged his interest in facing GSP or one of the Diaz brothers.

"A really fun match would be against Nate or Nick Diaz, the Diaz brothers, because those guys bring a ton of hype," Demian Maia began. "They’re both very good at jiu-jitsu and they’ll attract a huge audience. That’s interesting because I’d get to benefit from the buzz they generate, and there’s Georges St-Pierre. That goes without saying. He’s an incredibly tough competitor, an outstanding jiu-jitsu practitioner under Danaher, one of the best coaches in the world."

At the end of 2023, Maia announced he would face GSP in a grappling match at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 6, but the bout was eventually cancelled.

Could Demian Maia Return for One Last MMA Fight?

Despite his age and more than five years away from the Octagon, Maia still considers one final MMA fight if the UFC presents the right opportunity.

" is closing, but I’d be lying if I said that, if the UFC came to me with an offer for a meaningful fight, in the right setting, I wouldn’t do it. If it made sense and it was in a place like Rio de Janeiro or Las Vegas, where I’ve fought so many times and have so much history, I would definitely consider it."

Maia revealed that he had always planned to make one final UFC appearance after facing Belal Muhammad, although that farewell never came to pass. While he still wishes he could "close that chapter," the Brazilian admits it is unlikely to happen.

"I do feel like I never got a proper farewell, you know? It all ended in a bit of an anticlimactic way," Maia said. "I lost to Belal Muhammad in 2021. I won one round, he won two. It wasn’t a particularly exciting fight. Even back then, I already wanted one more fight so I could retire. I was already thinking about stepping away, but it never happened. So there’s always that feeling of, ‘Man, I wish I had been able to close that chapter,’ and I never got the chance. I think it’s very unlikely the UFC would want to make something like that happen, but this sport surprises us every single day."

Demian Maia with Extensive UFC Career

Throughout his career, Maia made no fewer than 33 UFC appearances, challenging for titles against Anderson Silva at middleweight and Tyron Woodley at welterweight. Along the way, the Brazilian submitted some of the biggest names in the sport, including Chael Sonnen, Neil Magny, Matt Brown, Carlos Condit and Ben Askren.